1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aggregating agents for solid materials or substrates including metal oxide or ceramic solid materials or substrates (natural or synthetic), metallic solid materials or substrates, polymeric or plastic solid materials or substrates (natural or synthetic), solid plant materials or substrates (natural or treated), or other types of solid materials or substrates and methods for making and using same.
More particularly, the present invention relates to aggregating agents for particulate solid materials or substrates, where the aggregating agents modify surface properties of the particulate solid materials increasing their aggregating propensity or properties. The present invention also relates to coated or modified particulate solid materials capable of self-aggregation. The present invention also relates to methods for aggregating particulate solid materials, especially in downhole applications and in any other application where particulate metal oxide-containing solids aggregation is desirable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many situations, sand, particulate metal oxide-containing solids or other particulate materials or solid materials are difficult to consolidate in underground formations once placed due to their inability to aggregate or to cling to each other or to form aggregated masses that allow formation fluid flow back through the placed or pumped-in fluids without flowing solids back to the surface. In addition, other situations occur where formation sand flows due to formation unconsolidated characteristics, and the flowing sand is transported to the surface during well production.
Although several technologies now exist for tackifying such particulate solid with a tackifying agent, there is a need in the art of a different treating composition to cause such particulate solids to self-aggregate and to methods for making self-aggregating particulate solids.